I have internet tonight so I'll try for a post...I ended up hanging out in the Big/Little Talbot area (east of Jacksonville, FL) for a couple days there was a lot to see there!! On Monday I headed south after watching an awesome day begin by burning off a dew so heavy I thought it had rained!
They gave me a spot right by the marsh so I really enjoyed this view as the sun came out and hit the trees.
We got up pretty early, a Grey Catbird tried to steal Casey's breakfast..
He carried on something fierce, but we didn't give in...lots of the Spanish moss here, it makes a nice curtain for our view!
Casey and I walked the nature trail at the campground.
He was wearing his brand new sweater!! It was quite cold on this morning I had on 2 jackets!! He wouldn't look at me, so I promised to not put this on Facebook, but I didn't promise to not put it on Blogger!! HA..he is molting so he has his scruff on right now...we both look like a motley crew.
Happened to be driving right past St Augustine..so I stopped to see the Castillo De San Marcos National Monument.
The day started out so cold yet it got very hot!! Casey and I walked the grounds, then he had to wait in the van while I went inside the fort so I didn't stay inside long ...since there was no shade in the parking lot...I do draw the sun shades open the windows, and he has his own battery operated fan to keep him cool!!
This is a 333 yr old stone and masonry fort built by the Spanish when they had control of the city! St Augustine is the oldest city in the US. (1565) .. It sure was oozing with history and in a beautiful location right on the Matanzas Bay. (Mantanzas in Spanish means Slaughters) in 1565 the Spanish massacred the French, thus the name Mantanzas...and there is another Nat. Monument, Ft. Mantanzas, that guarded the river travel south of St Augustine...
The castle, Castillo, comes complete with drawbridge!!
No I don't know any of those people but it looked better to have people walking on it! The ranger led program was gonna run long so I snapped a few photos...
It was remarkably cool inside the thick limestone walls!! This is the Barracks...I got my passport stamped and then headed back outside to get Casey out of the van, saw a couple of Ruddy Turnstones on the sea wall...
It reminds me of Charleston because there are cannons all over town...
and the iron work reminds me of New Orleans...
I didnt want to circle this block, because I was headed over the Bay Bridge, so I got a good shot of
Ponce de Leon's tush...personally I think this is his best side...
Although I could not find parking to stop and go inside this cemetery I stopped and made a few pics via the open window...such a narrow street you have to pull over to allow cars to pass both ways it should be a one way street....anyways The St. Augustine National Cemetery is located on Marine street just a few blocks from the Castillo...google assisted me in getting info about these pyramids inside the walls...
Monuments and Memorials
The Dade Monument is composed of three distinct pyramids constructed of native coquina stone. The pyramids were erected in 1842 and were originally covered with white stucco. The memorials were dedicated at a ceremony on Aug. 14, 1842, that marked the end of the Florida Indian Wars. The pyramids cover vaults that contain the remains of 1,468 soldiers who died during the Florida Indian Wars, from 1835 to 1842. According to the inscription, the wars began on Dec. 25, 1835. Three days later, Maj. Francis L. Dade and his regiment were enroute from Fort Brooke (Tampa) to Fort King (Ocala) when they were ambushed and killed. Of the 106 men and officers under his command, only two survived. Maj. Dade and his men are among those entombed at the pyramids.
Much of History is all about death unfortunately!! Anywho...we headed on over the bay bridge and south to Mims/Titusville, where I ended up in a KOA for the night under a huge bright Sodium light...right off I-95 Whoopty-Do....not exactly my cup of tea but it was a place to park for the night..got an early start, broke camp before 8, cause I had a big day planned at Merritt Island NWR!
PEACE
Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.
